Social and Community Services

Community Care and Criminal Justice

Self-Directed Support

Self-Directed Support is about how your support plan is put into action so that you receive the help you need. Self-Directed Support means that you have choices in how your care and support is managed.

There are a number of different ways your support can be managed. You can choose the one which best suits your individual needs.

Self-Directed Support Options

Option 1: You can receive a Direct Payment. After your support plan is agreed the money to fund it is paid directly to you, into a bank account managed separately from any other accounts you have. You can manage the money yourself, or with assistance from others. A record must be kept of how the money is spent.

Option 2: If you are not confident about directly managing your support, then we can help. You will still choose what support you want and how it will be provided, but the Council will manage it for you.

Option 3: You can ask for your support to be arranged for you by the Council, and provided either directly by Council staff or by someone else on behalf of the Council.

Option 4: This is a combination of the other options and allows you to let the Comhairle manage some parts of your support package, while giving you direct control of some elements of your support. The money to fund the parts of your support which you will manage will be paid into a bank account in the same way as described in the Direct Payments option.

How will Self-Directed Support change my life?

The Scottish Government has a dedicated Self-Directed Support Website which gives detailed information on how Self-Directed Support can work for you, as well as more Stories from people who have already gone through the process.

Will I have to pay anything towards my support?

In most cases the Council will meet the majority of the costs for providing your support. During 2017 Social & Community Services will be implementing a new Non-Residential Contribution Policy which asks everyone who receives adult care services (with certain exemptions including Free Personal Care) to pay a contribution towards the total cost of their support. The amount you will be asked to contribute will be based on the cost of your whole support package and will depend on an assessment of your financial situation.

If any of these apply to your package of support this will be fully explained to you. You will be offered a Financial Assessment to ensure that you are not asked to pay more than you can afford. Even if no part of your support package currently attracts a contribution it is still worth asking for a Financial Assessment to be carried out as part of this check to make sure you are receiving all benefits and discounts you are entitled to, to maximise your income.

Further Information

For more information please contact Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Self-directed Support Team on 01851 822708.